Health Department closes Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER (Twitter.com/OneidaPhoto)
Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER (Twitter.com/OneidaPhoto)
Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

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Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER (Twitter.com/OneidaPhoto)
Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER (Twitter.com/OneidaPhoto)
Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria on Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

Health Department closes Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria

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ONEIDA -- Matty's Knock Out Pizzeria is down for the count after county health inspectors found three pages' worth of health code violations in recent inspections.

According to Madison County Director of Environmental Health Geoffrey Snyder, the West Elm Street pizzeria was shut down Feb. 17, just two months after it received its permit to open. Owner Terri Foster and Manager Matthew Cuda were expected to meet with county officials by now to review an action plan to clean up and reopen the restaurant, but the health department hasn't heard from them, Snyder said.

An initial complaint brought health inspectors to the establishment on Valentine's Day but before they even reached the door, they saw enough violations to issue a warning, Snyder said.

Madison County Health Department inspectors, responding to a complaint, found piles of garbage and buckets of grease improperly stored on the porch and decks that patrons walk through to enter the restaurant. The owner was given three days to fix the violation.

When investigators returned Feb. 17 for a follow-up inspection, the restaurant was immediately shut down when dozens of other violations were discovered.

In general, the building was found to to be so unsanitary that the public was at risk, Snyder said.

It appeared, he said, that the restaurant had not been cleaned at all since it opened about five weeks prior to the inspection. The pots and pans were filthy and take-out containers were contaminated from food spillage.

The sink that was the designated hand-washing station for employees was inaccessible and it had no soap, Snyder said. Investigators also couldn't find any chemicals that would have been used to clean anything.

The restaurant's staff did not have the proper training on safe food practices to responsibly and safely serve food, Snyder said.

The only toilet, available to staff and the public, was also overflowing on the floor and was dripping down into the basement near where food was being stored. There restaurant's refrigeration unit was malfunctioning, causing food to be stored at improper temperatures. Several fire code violations were also identified, specifically equipment that was brought in after the restaurant was initially inspected before opening.

The owner and restaurant staff were given the opportunity to participate in a hearing to justify why the pizza place should be allowed to reopen. At that hearing Snyder said health officials outlined nearly 10 conditions that would need to be satisfied in order for their permit to be reissued that would allow them to reopen.

Those conditions include bringing the building up to code and meeting with the city's fire code inspectors, cleaning and sanitizing the restaurant and properly training the staff.

The manager must provide proof that he went through training on safe food practices, or the owner must hire a manager with that training. The Health Department will provide in-service training for the rest of the staff, he said.

Once those conditions are fulfilled, the restaurant will be inspected again; if it passes, it will be allowed to open.

Snyder said those tasks were supposed to be completed a few weeks ago but the Health Department has not been contacted by anyone from the restaurant.

There's no deadline on meeting those conditions; it's up to the restaurant's owner to follow up on it, Snyder said.

Depending on the type of food served, restaurants are typically inspected at least once a year.

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